YUBA CITY / A 'copycat' threat shuts area schools / After daylong hunt, man, 28, surrenders at Sutter County Jail

Matthew Yi, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

Published 10:49 pm, Thursday, April 19, 2007

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Jeffrey Thomas Carney is in jail after allegedly threatening to go on a deadly rampage. Photos courtesy of Sutter County Sheriff's Department

Jeffrey Thomas Carney is in jail after allegedly threatening to go on a deadly rampage. Photos courtesy of Sutter County Sheriff's Department

YUBA CITY / A 'copycat' threat shuts area schools / After daylong hunt, man, 28, surrenders at Sutter County Jail

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2007-04-19 22:49:34 PDT -- A 28-year-old man who allegedly threatened to go on a rampage that "would make Virginia Tech look mild" turned himself in Thursday night after a daylong manhunt, authorities said.

Accompanied by an attorney, Jeffery Thomas Carney surrendered at Sutter County Jail in Yuba City at about 9:30 p.m., a sheriff's official said.

Despite the surrender, schools in Yuba and Sutter counties will be closed today, authorities said.

Authorities from seven law enforcement agencies had been searching since Wednesday night for Carney, who told his pastor and family members that he had an AK-47, poison and explosives.

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Police said the cell phone that Carney used to make the calls was turned off at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday and that the signal was traced to Marysville, just across the Feather River from Yuba City.

Police said Carney has had frequent run-ins with the law, including an arrest on April 4 on charges of domestic violence. He was let out of jail after posting a $20,000 bond.

After receiving a tip Thursday morning that Carney might be at the Yuba City home of some acquaintances, police surrounded an apartment. Police found two women in the apartment, but Carney was not there.

Carney was last seen by his former parole officer two days ago in Yuba City, Parker said.

Carney's last known address was with family members in North Yuba City.

Schools were notified of the threats Carney allegedly made, and some schools, including those in the Yuba City Unified School District, locked down their campuses.

"In order to do everything we could do ensure student safety, the district made the decision to lock down all schools in the district," said Nancy Aaberg, superintendent of Yuba City schools, in a note to parents posted on the district's Web site. "The decision was made purely as a precautionary measure."